Combined body and leg brace



Oct. 6, 1953 A. L. WHITAKER COMBINED BODY AND LEG BRACE Filed Nov. 14,1949 2 7/ 7 F lilL Zlrwwwfom iiaker Patented Oct. 6, 1953 COMBINED BODYAND LEG BRACE Archie L. Whitaker, Altadena, Calif.

Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,214

(Granted under Title 35, U.- S. Code (1952),

see. 266) 10 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

The present invention relates to prosthetic devices, and moreparticularly to a combined body and leg brace which enables the wearerof an artificial leg to impart natural movements to the leg, or to anatural leg immobilized by any form of motor paralysis.

More particularly, the invention relates to a combined body and legbrace that is particularly adapted to senile scoliosis, the braceembodying an improved type of universal joint. which permits naturaluniversal movement to either an aim ficial leg or to a natural legwhich. is crippled by motor paralysis.

It will be apparent, therefore, that. any essential feature of theinvention resides in the. fact that there is interposed behveen a pelvicbrace and the bucket. portion of the leg, a universal joint whichpermits normal movements ofv the leg when the individual is walking orsitting for enabling the leg, to be. opened or moved in any direction.

A further object of the invention is the provie sion of an improveduniversally acting ball. joint intermediate the pelvic brace and thebucket-portion of the leg, the joint employing approximatelythree-fourths of a. sphere, the joint allowing un- O restricted motionof the. leg.

A. still further object of the. invention is the provision of animproved slip lock mechanism which enables the pelvic. brace and leg,brace: portions of the appliance to be. rigidly and strongly,

yet removably, interconnected.

Further objects of the invention will becomeapparent as the descriptionproceeds, and. the, feature of novelty will be pointed out inparticularity in the appended claims.

The invention will be understood more readily by considering the.accompanying drawings. wherein:

Fig. 1 represents afront. view of the. improvedprosthetic appliance of.the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view of. onezoi the. leg brace membersshowing the improved universal joint and slip lock means of. the.present invention;

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary sectional elevation of the parts of Fig. 3below the joint-showing details of the slip lock mechanism for joiningthe leg and. body braces of the-appliance;

Fig. 5 is a detailed enlarged sectional elevation: 55.

taken through the vertical axis of the joint; and

Fig. 6 is a lateral sectional elevation of the joint taken on the lineVIVI of Fi 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved prostheticappliance of this invention comprises an upper, stiff, body-supportingbrace or corset 8- made of heavy leather which encloses the lower half.of the body trunk and. is particularly adaptable for use in cases ofsenile scoliosis. The corset 8 is adjustable by straps Iii and bucklesl2.

Laterally secured tothe corset brace 8 and forming a. part thereof is ametal carrier bar It, shaped to conform to the curvature of the body,and is threadedly secured in. an internally threaded: hinge member 1-5and secured by lock nuts Iii.

The lower end. 20 of the: hinge member is flattenedand. has a holetherethrough for receiving an approximately spherical steel ball 2| thatis diametrically oppositely flattened. somewhat to seat in the enlargedbifurcated end 22 of the lower leg brace: bar 24.

The ball 2| has a. holetherethrough for receiving a pin 25, whichextends through registering holes the: sides 28- of the bifurcated end22. of the: lower leg brace bar 24',- the end of the pin 25 beingthreaded. for receiving; a wing. nut as for holding. the pin 25 andtheball-I 2! inposition. By making the ball: 22! with. oppositelyflattened surfaces, the proper centering of the hole through the ball isfacilitated and the thickness of. the joint is reduced. The resulting;universally acting trochantericv joint is: positioned when the: deviceis in service,-. slightly posterior and higher than the greatertrochanter. as is: indicated? diagrammati-- cally in" Fig. 2'. The fact:that the hinge member i5 is turnablet on; thaball 2'! produces auniversal movement between. the upper and lower brace bars.

It may be pointed. out at this point that themost common trochanteric'joint is. constructed. asa simple hinge or extension and flexionof. thehipjoint. This usual construction ofthe hinged double-action: jointpermits motion in two planes or'fiexion and extension plus abduction andadduction with a feeling; of resistance on the part of the: wearer ofsuch .zmpliance. The ball type of trochanteric joint of: the presentinvention gives movementv in two planes of. motion at the same time,namely fiexion and. extension plus abduction or adduction withoutrestricted motion. Loss; of. balance has been noted especially withsenile. scoliosis patients, anda. patient. wearing abody andleg bracewithout-freedom of movement 3 tends to be thrown in case of a fall. Withthe ball type of trochanteric joint of the present invention the feelingof resistance is not experienced if the upper or lower body needs quickmovement if loss of balance occurs.

It is found in practice that it is desirable to make the leg portion ofthe brace detachable from the body portion. For this purpose an improvedslip-joint has been provided.

For this purpose, a leg-brace bar 2!; engages a reinforcing bar 32, theupper end of the latter, which terminates adjacent to the enlarged end22 of the bar 24, being provided with an end guide bracket 34 throughwhich the bar 244 is slipped, and also being provided with a secondguide bracket 35 under and through which the bar 2t extends.

A relatively thick but short locking bar 38 is secured to the brace bar32 by means of a screw 46. This bar 33 together with the bar 32 forms apair of complemental bars which retain the brace-bar 24 between them, aswill be pointed out hereinafter, the bars 38 and 32 reinforcing thebrace-bar 24 and making a rigid assembly for carrying the leg brace, thebars of the assembly mutually reinforcing each other. The bar 38 isprovided with reinforcing guides 4|. One end of this locking bar 38 isundercut to receive the end of the brace-bar 2 the undercut end 42 ofthe locking bar 38 forming an abutment for the end of the brace-bar 25,the remainder of this bar extending from its undercut end portiondefining a flange member which extends forwardly on the upper surface ofthe brace-bar. Overlying the resulting assembly is a spring strip t lriveted adjacent to one end by rivets 46 to the looking bar 38. Theother end of the spring strip .4 has secured on its underside astirrup-bracket 42, the sides 56 of which frictionally engage the sidesof the assembled bars 24 and 32. This stirrup-bracket 48 is held inplace by rivets 5i and carries a projecting lug 52 that locks into ahole 5% provided therefor in the brace-bar 24. The resulting assemblyconstitutes a rigid and strong joint.

In order to release the assembly and separate the leg brace frame fromthe corset 8, the upper end of the spring strip 44 is lifted manually todisengage the lug 52 from the hole 5 3, thus releasing the leg braceframe from the bracebar 24.

The leg brace frame is shown as comprising the upper or bucket support56 which is of stiff leather and is secured in a well-known suitablemanner to the complemental bar 32 and an opposite br 58 which terminatesjust short of the crotch of the wearer. The lower ends of the bars 32and 58 terminate in knee joints 60, and are continued by the lateralbars 52 and {54 which extend along the leg to the ankle joint, notshown. A second leather support 65 which is connected to the lateralbars 62 and 64, supports the leg just below the knee joints.

It ma be noted that the oppositely flattened surfaces of the ball 2|facilitate the location of, and drilling through, the center of theball. In practice, these flattened surfaces are such that the sphericalportions of the ball amount to approximately three-fourths of a completesphere, thus reducing the thickness and weight of the joint withoutimpairment of the universal movement thereof.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a structure has beenprovided by the present contribution which affords an effective brace,

which also permits quick movement without a feeling of resistance if thelower or upper portions of the body needs quick movement for recovery ifloss of balance occurs. The construction also permits a convenient meansfor detaching the leg brace portion from the remainder of the brace; andwhile the preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings and described above, it will be apparent that the inventioncontemplates modification in structural details which still permit theattainment of the advantages inherent in the present construction. Itwill be apparent, therefore, that it is intended and desired to embracewithin the scope of this invention such modifications and changes as maybe necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses, as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A combined body and leg brace, which comprises, in combination, arigid corset member defining a body and spinal support, a carrier barsecured to a side of the corset member, a leg frame carried by thecarrier bar, a trochanteric joint between the carrier bar and leg frame,means in the trochanteric joint enabling universal movement of the legframe relative to the body and spinal support, and slip lock meansbetween the trochanteric joint and the leg frame enabling the leg frameto be disconnected from the corset member, the slip lock means includinga brace-bar defining a seat for the said joint and constituting anelement of the leg frame, a pair of complemental bar members engagingthe brace-bar on opposite surfaces and throughout substantially thelength thereof in overlapping reinforcing and stiffening relationtherewith, means on an end of one of the complemental bar membersadjacent to the joint for slidingly receiving the brace-bar and forrestraining the brace-bar and complemental bar against relative lateralmovement at corresponding end portions of the bars, a plurality ofspaced lateral guide flanges on one of the complemental bar memberslaterally enclosing the brace-bar and the other complemental bar of thepair thereof, for preventing lateral shifting of the resulting barassembl throughout the entire length thereof, and means interconnectingthe complemental bars of the said assembly adjacent to correspondingends thereof.

2. In a combined body andleg brace having a rigid corset member defininga body and spinal support, and also having a carrier bar secured to aside of the corset member, the improvements which comprise a leg framecarried by the carrier bar, a trochanteric joint connecting the carrierbar to the leg frame, the said trochanteric joint comprising a balljoint member received in the carrier bar and a portion of the leg framedefining holding means for the ball, the said ball permitting universal,unrestricted movement between the carrier bar and the leg frame, andremovable means passing through the said ball and the holding meanstherefor for disconnectably attaching the leg frame to the carrier bar.

3. In a combined body and leg brace having a rigid corset memberdefining a body and spinal support, and having a carrier bar secured toa side of the corset member and having a free end, the improvementswhich comprise a leg frame carried by the carrier bar and comprising aplurality of frame bars one of which extends beyond the others and isprovided with an enlarged'bifurcated end, a hinge member mounted onthefree end of the carrier bar and terminating in a flattened end definingan eye opening therein, a trochanteric joint between the hinge memberand the leg frame and including an approximately spherical ball mountedin the bifurcated end of the said frame bar and received in the eyeopening in the hinge member for allowing universal unobstructed'rnovement between the leg frame and corset member, reletsable e n p int ro h the b tutt'et e nd of h ime bar a d h 'w h t e l 3 e y open n ihe flattered a d 9? he a ri ar for i cqn tt e l tt thies th e r me the sid iq n a d t h ca r r bar; a sl -l k int r ed ate e joint and re f amenme or releasing t e S ip-1 k, p d s rt et e leg ram f fQm the ttthanterit joint and carrier bar.

In a mb ne o and. le r t n lud n a body support, and having carriermeans sej; cured to the support, the improvements wh ch comprise a legframe carried by the carrier means, a trochanteric ball joint connectingthe carrier means to the leg frame enabling universal and unrestrictedmovement, between the leg frame and carrier means, releasable means ex?tending through the trochanterie joint, releas: able locking means forlocking the said releasable means for enabling separation of the legframe from the carrier means responsively to release means, and areleasable slip loci: connecting the leg frame to the joint andaffording a rigid con: nection for the leg frame when locked, and meansfor releasing the, slip lock for enabling release of the leg frame fromthe joint and carrier means.

5. In a combined body and leg brace including a body support and havinga carrier bar secured to a side of the body support, the improvementswhich comprise a leg frame carried by the car: rier bar and including abraceebar a trochanteric joint connecting the "carrier bar and leg framethrough the brace-bar, and relea sable Slip lock; means for releasablyconnecting the leg frame o the joint; the s 0 mea s ieq r iie a lockingbar overlapping the brace-bar through a substantial l n h hereef i n aemen wil t r fi' a' a S d u de m s 9 th 2 .3 bar laterally enclosing thebrace-bar for pro: venting lateral displacement therebetween, anotherbar complemental to the locking bar and engaging both the locking barand the brace-bar and defining with the locking bar a pair ofcomplemental bars engaging the brace-bar on opposite sides thereof,means securing the pair of ccmplemental bars together in engagement withthe brace-bar, a resilient strip mounted on both the locking bar and onthe brace-bar, a loelging lug on the resilient strip projecting into acomplemental locking recess in the brace-bar for securing the brace-barbetween the pair of complemental bars, and means on one of thecomplemental bars for preventing complete separation between thebrace-bar and the pair of complemental bars except by a sliding movementafter release of the locking lug from the locking recess in thebrace-bar responsively to a lifting movement imparted to the resilientstrip until the said locking lug clears the said recess.

6. In a combined body and leg brace including a rigid corset-like bodysupport having a carrier bar secured thereto and a leg-supporting frameattached to the carrier bar throu h. d trochanteric ball joint and abraceebar conncctri ed thereto, the improvements which comprise meansfor separating the leg frame from the joint, the said means including apair of complee mental bars engaging the brace bar on opposite sidesthereof throughout substantially its length, one of the saidcomplemental bars having an end bracket slidably enclosing the bracebar, the other of the complemental bars being a locking bar, a series ofspaced lateral flanges on the locking bar and laterally enclosing thebraceebar and the other complemental bar, and releas= able meanssecuring the brace-bar and complee mental bars together, theoomplemental bars engaging the brace-bar in overlapped relation and thesaid releasable means securing the bars in overlapped relation, thereleasable means in= eluding a resilient strip extending over both thelocking bar and the brace-bar, means securing rear portions of theresilient strip to the lockingbar while leaving the forward end of theresilient strip in free engagement with the brace-bar, and a locking lugcarried by the resilient strip and projecting from the underside of thestrip into a registering recess provided therefor in the brace-bar,engagement of the locking lug in the recess maintaining; the brace-barnormally in releasably locked position between the complemental bars.

7. In a combined body and leg brace having a body support, a legsupport, and a universal joint connection therebetwe'em the improvementswhich include slip lock means interconnecting the leg brace and theuniversal joint connection, the slip lock means comprising a pair ofcomplementl bar members, one of which is a locking bar, means securingthe complemental bar members together in overlapping position, abracebar intermediate the complemental bar members, a bifurcated headfor the brace-bar receiving the universal joint, means securing theuniversal joint in the bifurcated head of the brace-bar, oppositelydirected lateral flanges on the complemental bar members laterallyengaging the intermediate brace-bar in opposite directions, one of thecomplemental bari'nembers terminating adjacent 'to the head on thebrace-bar, an enclosing bracket for the bracebar mounted on the lastmentioned complemental bar member adjacent to the head on the bracebarnd restraining movements between the bracebar and the complemental barmembers except in directions parallei to the longitudinal axes of thebrace-bar and of the complemental bar members, and resilient lockingmeans secured at ne d. to e t n a m e o the o lem n ed l 33 35. ti a i a9 K 35 device adjacent to an opposite end engaging the ra e-b r dreleasa l t r ck n he. bracea nd the l ment l ba m mb rs a ns allrelative movement.

8. In a combined body and leg brace having a body support, a legsupport, and a universal trochanteric joint connection therebetween the,improvements which comprise slip. lock means, in rc ne t e e suppo andhe niversal: trochanteric joint connection, the slip loci; means;including a brace-bar having a head end defining a portion of theuniversal trochanteric joint connection, a pair of complemental barmembers engaging the brace-bar on opposite surfaces thereof and inmutually reinforcing relation, one of the complemental bar members beinga locking bar having an elongated flange 7 portion extending forwardlyalong the bracebar and having a rear portion defining an abutment forthe rear end of the brace-bar, the other bar of the pair of complementalbar members terminating in a forward end adjacent to the head end of thebrace-bar and having a guide bracket thereon adjacent to the saidforward end and encircling the brace-bar and slidingly receiving thelatter, the last mentioned complemental bar member overlappinglyengaging the brace-bar substantially throughout its length, meanssecuring the complemental bar members together, a resilient strip havingan end secured to the rear portion of the locking bar, the said stripoverlapping the flange portion of the looking bar and the brace-bar inlongitudinal engagement with both, the strip having a free end engagingthe brace-bar and also having an inwardly extending locking lugreleasably entering a complemental locking recess in the bracebar, thelocking lug being urged into locking position in the recess by theresiliency of the re' silient strip, and oppositely extending lateralflanges on the last mentioned complemental bar member and on the flangeportion of the locking bar, the said oppositely extending lateralflanges enclosing the brace-bar on opposite sides thereof forrestricting relative lateral movement between the brace-bar and thecomplemental bar members.

9. A combined body and leg brace assembly including a body support, aleg support, a universal trochanteric joint connection therebetween, andslip lock means for removably interconnecting the leg support from thesaid joint and body support, the leg support including a pair ofcomplemental bar elements, one of which is of substantially uniformlength throughout its extent, the other of which defines an abutmentflange adjacent to a rear end portion and a forwardly extending flangeprojecting from the rear end portion, this bar being a locking bar, abracebar intermediate the complemental bars having an inner end and anouter end, the said inner end seating against the abutment flange of thelocking bar, means securing the locking bar to the first mentionedcomplemental bar, a resilient clamping strip secured to the rear endportion of the locking bar and overlying the flange portion of thelocking bar and the brace-bar, complemental locking means on theresilient clamping strip and on the brace-bar and normally urged intointerlocking relation by the resiliency of the clamping strip, the saidstrip having a free end engaging the brace-bar and liftable out ofengagement with the brace-bar for releasing the locking means forenabling withdrawal of the brace-bar from the complemental bars, anenlarged bifurcated outer end on the brace-bar, a substantiallyspherical joint member in the bifurcated end of the brace-bar, the jointmember having oppositely flattened surfaces engaging the bifurcated endOf the brace-bar on opposite sides thereof, releasable means extendingthrough the opposite sides of said bifurcated end of the brace-bar andthrough the spherical joint member for securing the spherical jointmember in the said bifurcated end of the bracebar, and a hinge memberhaving an eye opening in an end thereof enclosing the spherical jointmember and defining a connecting link between the spherical joint memberand the body support, and being capable of universal movement relativeto the spherical joint member and the bifurcated head of the brace-bar,the said releasable means extending through the opposite sides of thebifurcated end of the brace-bar and the corresponding contacting areasof the spherical joint member comprising a pin projecting therethrough,and a wing nut on the pin bearing against a side of the bifurcated endof the bracebar for compressing the said side in tightened relationagainst the spherical joint member.

10. A combined body and leg brace, which comprises, in combination, arigid corset member defining a pelvic and spinal support for a wearer, acarrier bar secured to a side of the universal movement of the leg framerelative to the pelvic and spinal support, the said trochan teric jointbeing positioned, when the brace is in service, slightly posterior toand higher than the greater trochanter 0f the wearer, and slip lockmeans between the trochanteric joint and the leg frame enabling the legframe to be disconnected from the corset member, the slip lock meansincluding a brace-bar defining a seat for the said joint andconstituting an element of the leg frame, a pair of complemental barmembers engaging the brace-bar on opposite surfaces and throughoutsubstantially the length thereof in overlapping and stiffening relationtherewith, means on an end of one of the complemental bar membersadjacent to the joint for slidingly receiving the brace-bar and forrestraining the brace-bar and complemental bar against relative lateralmovement at corresponding end portions of the bars, a plurality ofspaced lateral guide flanges on one of the complemental bar memberslaterally enclosing the brace-bar and the other complemental bar of thepair thereof for preventing lateral shifting of the resulting barassembly throughout the entire length thereof, and means interconnectingthe complemental bars of the said assembly adjacent to correspondingends thereof.

ARCHIE L. WHITAKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 9,826 Abbe July 5, 1853 822,385 Peer June 5, 1906 1,975,040Groves Sept. 25, 1934 2,004,487 Dorsch June 11, 1935 OTHER REFERENCESOrthopedic Appliances, a book published by the Oxford University Pressin 1939, page 198. (Copy in Div. 55.)

